


Too Good

by Beth Harker (Beth_Harker)



Category: Newsies (1992)
Genre: Depression, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-30
Updated: 2016-12-30
Packaged: 2019-09-30 10:29:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17222303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beth_Harker/pseuds/Beth%20Harker
Summary: "You're too good for this world."





	Too Good

“Hey, I brought you something.”

Skittery glanced up from his book, then put it down on his knees. The story was stupid and boring, some penny dreadful that Specs had discarded, but that wasn’t the point. There was no better way to signal to the other guys that you you wanted to be left alone than shoving a book in front of your nose and turning the pages. Anybody other than Mush (and maybe Tumbler) would have gotten blocked out completely. Nobody but Mush (and maybe Tumbler) would have chosen this moment to come clamoring up onto Skittery’s bunk as if he owned it. It made Skittery think of how his mother’s cat (back in the days when he’d had luxuries like a mother and a cat) would sit down right on top of his paper whenever he tried to draw pictures, and demand attention until he gave in. It was that damned cat’s fault that Skittery was a struggling newsboy instead of a world renowned artist.

“Here,” Mush rummaged around in his pocket until he’d extracted two crusty rolls and a hard boiled egg. “You forgot to eat dinner.”

“Forgot?” Skittery propped himself up on his elbow to look at Mush. “Is that what we'se calling it now?”

Mush just looked confused. Skittery barely managed to bite back a sigh. He’d bought a pile of papes on borrowed money that morning, then taken a nap in an alleyway instead of selling them. It was his own damn fault that he didn’t have the dough for dinner.

“Everyone deserves to eat,” Mush said finally.

“Oh yeah? So, how many of ‘em are you feeding, huh? There’s plenty of bums on the street without supper tonight. Why do I get all this?”

“ 'Cause we'se…” Mush trailed off, and Skittery understood why. He hadn’t exactly given Mush much reason to feel confident in their relationship lately. “Look, maybe you’re right. Maybe I ain’t done much for those other bums…”

“You’re too good for this world.”

Mush shook his head. “Am not.”

“Are too. And it ain’t your job to keep me from sabotaging myself, got that?”

Again Mush shook his head. “If we don’t look out for each other, no one else is gonna.”

It wasn’t the first time Mush had ever said that. Just as long as Skittery had known him, had let himself form this stupid connection with him, Mush had acted like those words were the greatest truth he knew. _If we don’t look out for each other, no one else is gonna._

Skittery sat up and took a bite out of his roll.


End file.
